The Rangitikei Advocate TWO EDITIONS DAILY. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1919. THE GUILT OF THE KAISER.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 1175, 19 February 1919, Page 4

The Rangitikei Advocate TWO EDITIONS DAILY. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1919. THE GUILT OF THE KAISER.

A GOOD deal of discussion centres around the question of the exKaiser’s responsibility for the woes of the world owing to the war. Jurists of international fame have had the matter under [consideration, hut so far they do not seem to have reached a decision sufficiently positive of his guilt to enable a demand to be made for hia delivery to thel Entente for punishment. And yet no doubt exists in the minds of millions that he was the real author of the war. An endeavonr has been made by a certain class in Germany to absolve him from blame. That, although he had determined on war, ha feared the world would attribute the awful tragedy to him, was indicated by the fact that he went on a crnise to Norway during the continuance of the crisis which preceded the war. He hoped to establish an alibi, but the world refuses to believe ifc. In all judicial inquiries into criminal acts tha intention precedent to the crime is considered of cardinal importance. What was the behaviour of the accused? Was there any evidence that he had cherished an intention to commit a murderous assault on his victim or not, and the sentence passed is severe or modified accordingly. Therefore, let ns ask, did the ex-Kaiser give anyone clear reason to think that ha meditated the atrocity of making war upon the world for the satisfaction of his ghoulish ambition?

Well, he did. His sayings were taken down and can be quoted in evidence against him, as Mr P. Webb’s were—put in prison by the words of his own month. Speaking to Mr James W. Gerard, the former American Ambassador in Germany, he said:

“From childhood, ” “I have been infiaenced by five men, Alexander thulGieat, Julius Caesar, Tbeo ioric

11., Frederick the Great, and

Napoleon. Each of these men dreamed a dream of world empire. They failed. I have dreamed a dream of German world empire, and my mailed hst shall succeed.” The evidence|is conclusive. He has meditated the most heinous and bloody crime in the whole black category:of inequity from childhood. For all the monsters whose history he has allowed to influence him strewed their pathway throngn the world with mutilated bodies and rnined cities. He is a comparatively little fellow. But what there is of him is decidedly bad. With chronic ear-ache, a useless arm and a diseased throat be could yet stand up in the face of Heaven and threaten the whole world with being harried through the proceises oNagony and [blood and tears into terrified acquiescence with his diseased will. But whenever he saw bis troops goose-stepping across a German square the sight inflamed the devil in him." He seemed to recognise a vampire thirst in the gleaming weapons of the troops for blood such as he felt himself. So there is no doubt that he was responsible for the war.

But was he personally responsible for the awful outrages committed by the Germans in Belgium and Northern France upon a defenceless population? If we examine his professed principles we shall need no other witness against him. It may be remembered that, at the time of the Boxer Rebellion in China, au international force was sent to relieve the Legations. Among the rest was a German contingent under the command of the Kaiser’s brother. On their departure the Kaiser, addressing the troops, said; ‘‘No quarter Will be given, no prisoners will be taken. Let all who fall into your hands be at your mercy. Just as the Huns a thousand years ago, under the leadership of Attila, gained a reputation in virtue of which they still live in historical tradition, so may the name of Germany become known in such a manner in China.” Attila murdered his brother. His hordes were said to be scarcely human; they were squat in build with pointed ears; wherever they trod they left a desolation and a place of skeletons. And their power was broken by a slaughter that has rarely been equalled in the experience of the world, near the Marne, which completes the parallel. There is another parallel in justice which would be fitting, though in this case the one part is taken from fiction. We have seen Faust haled away to the smoking pit. Why not also the Kaiser? We have read of men being taken up into Heaven without death, bat none who have been so cast into Hell. But he deserves it.